Lin Dafu's serious expression made the atmosphere tense. Cheng Yaoyao glanced at Xie Zhao, who stood in front of Cheng Yaoyao and said to Lin Dafu, "It's the same if you tell me what's going on."
"About this matter..." Lin Dafu was obviously hesitant, and finally said, "Okay, you two come out together."
Cheng Yaoyao put down the bowl and followed Xie Zhao out to the yard. When she passed by Grandma Xie, she grabbed her hand and said, "Yaoyao..."
Grandma Xie's eyes revealed worry, as if she knew something.
Cheng Yaoyao smiled at her and whispered, "It's okay."
In the yard, Lin Dafu was in no hurry to speak. He lit up his cigarette, took a deep breath, and prepared his words in his heart.
The evening breeze was blowing hard, making the pumpkin leaves rustle. The blankets drying in the yard also fluttered. In the darkness in the distance, countless branches and leaves rustled in response, which made people feel upset.
Jianjian ran to Cheng Yaoyao's feet and twirled around, rubbing her calves with his fur. Cheng Yaoyao picked him up and rubbed his fur with his fingers. Jianjian was hurt by the tugging, and he cried "meow" and jumped out of her arms, licking his fur in grievance.
Lin Dafu counted the beats in his mind and finally spoke: "Today the county hospital notified the team to go up. Cheng Nuonuo is with them and is seriously injured."
Cheng Yaoyao let out an "ah", and Xie Zhao gently held her hands behind her back, his expression normal.
Lin Dafu organized the sentences: "Cheng Nuonuo fainted at the county station for unknown reasons. The enthusiastic crowd sent her to the hospital, but she kept yelling that she didn't want to see a doctor and refused to tell the hospital her name. The hospital suspected that she had mental problems and searched her bag, only to find out that she was an educated youth from our brigade."
Cheng Nonuo was too much of a pushover. After rolling around in the raspberry bushes and being trapped in the hut for a night, she could actually run into the city? She looked so dignified that she shouldn't be considered a lunatic.
Cheng Yaoyao's peach blossom eyes widened slightly, and he was obviously curious but pretended to be indifferent: "Why did she run into the city for no reason?"
Lin Dafu took a deep puff of smoke and showed an embarrassed expression: "She...she is pregnant."
"Ah?" This time Cheng Yaoyao really looked surprised.
Xie Zhao took a step forward and put Cheng Yaoyao behind him, staring at Lin Dafu calmly: "What does this have to do with Yaoyao?"
Lin Dafu hissed, thinking to himself, this boy is so young, why is he becoming more and more frightening? He gritted his teeth and continued, "This is not a trivial matter. Cheng Nonuo is Cheng Zhiqing's biological sister after all, I have to tell you about this. The hospital said that Cheng Nonuo's pregnancy may not be saved, do you... want to go for an eye exam?"
Xie Zhao's eyes were filled with anger, but before he could say anything, a deafening shout came from the kitchen: "Pooh!"
Grandma Xie rushed out of the kitchen, frowning and glaring, "Yaoyao is still a married girl, how can you ask her to see such a thing?"
Grandma Xie has always been kind and I have never seen her so angry.
Cheng Yaoyao took the opportunity to hide next to Grandma Xie: "Grandma..."
"Don't be afraid." Grandma Xie patted Cheng Yaoyao on the shoulder.
Xie Zhao couldn't tear his face with the team leader, and Cheng Yaoyao was a girl, so she had to open the fish head. Grandma Xie looked at Lin Dafu with a protective attitude: "You are a team leader, how could you be so confused about this matter? You shouldn't even mention such a dirty thing to Yaoyao!"
Grandma Xie spoke in a stern tone, just like the landlord's mistress. Lin Dafu had received great favors from the Xie family when he was young, and he respected Grandma Xie very much. Now he was even more humble: "Auntie, this... we can't do anything. Cheng Nuonuo is lying in the hospital now. If someone dies..."
Grandma Xie sneered. The team was more than just worried about the consequences. Cheng Nuonuo couldn't keep the baby, and she had to recuperate after the confinement. Someone had to take care of her and make sure she didn't commit suicide. No one took up this hot potato, so they tried to throw it to Cheng Yaoyao. After all, Cheng Yaoyao and she were half sisters, and if something happened, they couldn't find the team leader to blame.
Grandma Xie gave a look, and Xie Zhao raised his hands to cover Cheng Yaoyao's ears.
Cheng Yaoyao wanted to listen, but she grabbed Xie Zhao's hands, but Xie Zhao's big hands covered her face like iron clamps. Grandma Xie's voice came into her ears intermittently: "Unmarried... pregnant... who should be found for this matter... you know it in your heart..."
Lin Dafu showed a look of sudden enlightenment and said goodbye to Grandma Xie.
Xie Zhao let go of Lin Dafu's hand, walked him to the door, and said, "Yaoyao is not going to work anymore."
"Okay, okay! It should have been done a long time ago." Lin Dafu agreed immediately.
He also knew that he shouldn't ask Cheng Yaoyao about this matter, so as not to offend Xie Zhao, so he hurriedly said: "Cheng Zhiqing's share of the centimeters will be recorded in the vegetable greenhouse, and no one dares to say anything!"
Xie Zhao thanked him, and then Grandma Xie came out of the kitchen and stuffed a bag of snacks into Lin Dafu's pocket: "Take it back and feed it to the children."
The dried lotus leaf wrapper contained a small steamed cake. The Xie family's steamed cake was made of wine glasses, small and exquisite. Lin Dafu's eyes were filled with tears. When he was a child, his family was so hungry that they had no food to eat. It was Grandma Xie who often brought him and his younger siblings home for meals. He had no idea how many steamed cakes he had eaten.
Lin Dafu thanked him again and again before leaving with the snacks.
Cheng Yaoyao came over and asked, "Grandma, why are you still giving him steamed cakes?"
Grandma Xie tapped Cheng Yaoyao's forehead and said, "You are young and don't know how to be gentle when doing things. Especially Zhao'er, you will have to deal with Lin Dafu a lot in the future, don't let him have any thorns in his heart."
The former mistress of the Xie family taught the children little by little how to behave in society. Xie Zhao listened attentively, while Cheng Yaoyao was thinking about something else: "Is Lin Dafu going to look for Shen Yan now?"
"Girl, stop asking about this!" Grandma Xie said angrily.
Cheng Yaoyao quickly hid behind Xie Zhao. Xie Zhao put his hands on her waist and pleaded with Grandma Xie on her behalf: "Sister, don't dare to do it again."
Grandma Xie said unhappily, "Just protect it. Go collect the blankets in the yard and put them up in the attic. It might rain tonight."
The wind blew in gusts from all directions, blowing up blankets and sheets, and a storm was about to come. Xie Zhao carried a large blanket upstairs, Cheng Yaoyao followed with a kerosene lamp, and Jianjian also trotted up and ran around in the attic.
The wind was stronger in the attic, carrying moisture and the scent of flowers from the balcony. A few poles were set up, and blankets were hung on them, letting the mountain breeze blow overnight. The next day, they were completely dry. The spring in Tianshui Village was humid, and the Xie family hung their sheets and quilts out in the sun every day so that they could sleep comfortably at night.
Xie Zhao carefully hung up the blanket and pulled it flat. Jianjian kept circling around his feet and almost stepped on it. Xie Zhao said, "Sister, take the cat away."
A beautiful figure flashed behind the blanket, and Cheng Yaoyao lifted the blanket and squeezed into his arms, clinging to him more than a cat: "Jianjian got so dirty in the barn, I won't hold you."
Xie Zhaolang was as determined as iron and continued with his work: "Sister, I'm working."
"I won't bother you." Cheng Yaoyao hugged his neck. Xie Zhao took a step and she followed, hanging in his arms like a kitten.
Xie Zhao hung up the last blanket before hugging her back, his restrained breathing becoming heavy: "Do you want a kiss?"
Under normal circumstances, such rude words would definitely require a good beating and then a night of coaxing before the child would recover.
Cheng Yaoyao hung the kerosene lamp on the pole and hummed, "Give me your hand."
Xie Zhao clasped his hands tightly behind her waist.
Cheng Yaoyao grabbed his wrist, spread his fingers one by one, and touched his index finger. Xie Zhao's slender fingers were rough, and the scratch had healed long ago, leaving a white mark when touched.
Cheng Yaoyao held his fingertips, parted her rosy lips, and her snow-white, moist teeth flashed in the light. She tightened her teeth a little, and the tips of her teeth sank into her flesh.
That night, when Xie Zhao cut his finger and fed her blood, she was shocked to realize that Xie Zhao knew much more than she had guessed.
Xie Zhao looked at her with heavy eyes. The pain on his fingertips ignited the blood in his body, and he excitedly searched for a way out.
Cheng Yaoyao loosened her teeth. There were two rows of deep red marks on her fingertips. She said in a frustrated tone, "Don't you have any questions about this and those raspberries?"
Xie Zhao rubbed the moisture from his fingertips on her lips: "I already know."
Cheng Yaoyao shuddered, his face showing a look of bewilderment, forgetting to avoid Xie Zhao's hand: "You...what did you know?"
Cheng Yaoyao looked so cute when she was surprised. Xie Zhao smiled and teased her, "Little devil."
"I'm not!" Cheng Yaoyao said, "Be serious. I've wanted to tell you for a long time..."
Xie Zhao covered her mouth and said, "I told you that you can keep your secrets as long as it doesn't hurt you."
Cheng Yaoyao finally pried his hands apart and said angrily, "But I want to tell you."
Xie Zhao paused, and his deep voice fell into Cheng Yaoyao's ears word by word: "I used to listen to stories told by my grandmother. In those myths, fairies and goblins fell in love with mortals, and once their secret was exposed, they had to leave."
Cheng Yaoyao was stunned. She never thought that Xie Zhao had such a naive side. She laughed and said, "Silly, are you so timid?"
Xie Zhao's eyes were serious: "I don't want to take the slightest risk of losing you. No matter how many secrets you have, I don't care, as long as you stay by my side."
Cheng Yaoyao's smile gradually faded, and suddenly she stood on tiptoe and bit his lips.
As the sweet and clear water flowed into his mouth, it seemed as if infinite spiritual energy surged into his chest, sweeping away all the illness and fatigue. The blood boiled in his limbs and bones, looking for an outlet.
The spring water that was not swallowed dripped along the corners of his lips, wetting his resolute chin and a small piece of his clothes, but it could not quench his thirst.
Xie Zhao's breathing was hot. Before she could move, Cheng Yaoyao had already stepped away and wiped the water from her lips. Her cheeks flushed, and she said with relief: "I have to tell you! Look, this is my secret."
Xie Zhao stared at her without saying anything. She took a step back nervously: "Don't stare at me, I'm standing in front of you fine, right?"
"Hey... don't come over here!" Cheng Yaoyao hid back and called out to Qiangqiang, "Jianqiang, help!"
He raised his chubby little face, looked at Xie Zhao and then at Cheng Yaoyao, and happily fluttered between the two of them.
Cheng Yaoyao was hugged tightly and laughed so hard that he couldn't breathe: "Let go...Xie Zhao you..."
Cheng Yaoyao's tone suddenly changed, becoming extremely horrified: "You have a nosebleed!"
As soon as Xie Zhao lowered his head, blood dripped onto Cheng Yaoyao's collar. His face darkened, and he covered his nose. As soon as he let go, Cheng Yaoyao fell down softly.
Xie Zhao hurriedly hugged her and covered his nose with one hand. Bright red liquid dripped from between his fingers, making it extremely thick.
Xie Zhao asked the same question in his mind as Cheng Yaoyao: What the hell is this!
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